Adjustably mounted player piano key actuating assembly

ABSTRACT

An assembly for actuating piano playing means which includes means for mounting solenoid key actuating units on a metallic channel means. The solenoid units include a laterally extending tab having a groove formed therein which is adapted to receive one flange of the channel means. A screw member extends through the tab and engages the flange to maintain the solenoid unit on the channel means. The units may be arranged in a side-by-side relationship on one channel means or may be arranged on oppositely disposed channels. The units may also be staggered on vertically spaced channels. The metal-to-metal connection between the solenoid units and the channel means permits the channels to serve as a common magnetic path for the individual coils and as a heat sink to dissipate heat directly from the coils. An embodiment of the assembly is also disclosed wherein the solenoid has a tab extending therefrom and which is removably received between a pair of flanges extending from the channel means.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Richard L. Cannon;

Leonard R. D. Smith, both of Yankton, S. Dak. [2l] Appl. No. 833,066 [22] Filed June 13, 1969 [45] Patented May 25, 1971 Y [73] Assignee Dale Electronics, Inc.

Columbus, Nebr.

[54] ADJ USTABLY MOUNTED PLAYER PIANO KEY ACTUATING ASSEMBLY 10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 335/255, 336/67, 84/107 [51] Int. Cl H01t 7/08 [50] Field of Search 336/67; 335/255, 262; 248/206 (A); 84/107, 246

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,036,246 5/1962 Valleau 336/67X Primary Examiner-G. Harris Attarney-Zarley, McKee and Thomte ABSTRACT: An assembly for actuating piano playing means which includes means for mounting solenoid key actuating units on a metallic channel means. The solenoid units include a laterally extending tab having a groove formed therein which is adapted to receive one flange of the channel means. A screw member extends through the tab and engages the flange to maintain the solenoid unit on the channel means. The units may be arranged in a side-by-side relationship on one channel means or may be arranged on oppositely disposed channels. The units may also be staggered on vertically spaced channels. The metal-to-metal connection between the solenoid units and the channel means permits the channels to serve as a common magnetic path for the individual coils and as a heat sink to dissipate heat directly from the coils. An embodiment of the assembly is also disclosed wherein the solenoid has a tab extending therefrom and which is removably received between a pair of flanges extending from the channel means.

PATENTED HAY25 ml myz ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED PLAYER PIANO KEY ACTUATING ASSEMBLY This invention relates to an assembly for actuating piano playing means and is an improvement over the assembly disclosed in U.S. Letters Pat. No. 3,426,304 which issued on Feb. 4, I969 wherein one of the applicants herein is listed as a coinventor.

Solenoid assemblies are frequently used to actuate the piano actions of player pianos. Previous solenoid assemblies and the mounting means therefor severely limited their use in various types of piano actions. U.S. Pat. No. 3,426,304 discloses an actuating assembly for a player piano and has been generally satisfactory. Some difficulty has been experienced in servicing the solenoids and in removing the solenoids from their supports.

Therefore, it is a principal object of this invention to provide an assembly for actuating piano playing means.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for mounting solenoid units on a channel means.

A further object of this invention is to provide a means for mounting solenoid units on a channel means to permit the solenoid units to actuate various types of piano actions.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an assembly for actuating piano playing means including a solenoid unit wherein the solenoid unit may be easily serviced or removed from its supporting channel.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an assembly for actuating piano playing means including a solenoid unit mounted on a channel member which permits the solenoid to be laterally adjusted to a particular piano action regardless of it being installed above or below the keyboard, attached to the piano bridle wire, installed under the wipen portion of the piano action or under the piano key itself.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an assembly for actuating piano playing means including a solenoid unit mounted on a metal channel means wherein the channel means serves as a heat sink and also serves as a frame to complete the magnetic path through the individual solenoid coils.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an assembly for actuating piano playing means which is economical of manufacture, and durable in use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a side elevational view of one form of the solenoid unit secured to a channel means;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the solenoid unit secured to a channel means;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the solenoid unit of FIG. I positioned on a pair of vertically spaced channels in a staggered relationship;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the solenoid units of FIG. 2 mounted on oppositely disposed channel members and being connected to the bridle wire of the piano action; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the solenoid unit.

The numeral generally designates the solenoid unit seen in FIG. I and FIG. 3 of the drawings and including a body portion 12 having a plunger 14 movably extending from the lower end thereof as best illustrated in FIG. I. Plunger 14 is mounted in body portion 12 and has a push rod 16 secured to the upper end thereof and extending outwardly from the upper end of the body portion 12. The numeral 18 refers generally to the coil surrounding the plunger I4 within body portion 12 and is electrically connected to a switch 20 and a power source 22 in conventional fashion. The switch means 20 would be closed at a predetermined time upon a perforation in the piano roll registering with an opening formed in a tracker bar means. The

numeral 24 designates a metallic end member mounted on the lower end of the body portion 12 while the numeral 26 refers to a metallic end member mounted on the upper end of the body portion 12 as best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. End member 26 includes a laterally extending tab portion 30 having a groove 32 formed therein thereby defining tab portions 34 and 36 positioned above and below the groove 32 respectively. A screw 38 threadably extends downwardly through tab portion 34 and has a length sufficient to permit its lower end to enter the groove 32.

The numeral 40 generally designates a metallic channel including a base portion 42 having flanges 44 and 46 extending transversely therefrom as best illustrated in FIG. I. The solenoid 10 of FIG. I is secured to the channel 40 by causing the flange 44 to be received by the groove 32 and by causing the flange 46 to engage the shoulder 48 of end member 24. The screw 38 is then threadably moved so that the lower end thereof engages flange 44 to prevent the disengagement of the solenoid 10 from the channel 40. A pair of channels 40 may be vertically spaced as illustrated in FIG. 3 to permit the solenoid units to be vertically spaced with respect to each other and also horizontally staggered so that adjacent wipen actions 50 of the piano may be actuated by the push rods extending from the solenoid units. The channels 40 may also be mounted in a back-to-back relationship such as illustrated in FIG. 4 and it can be appreciated that the means described herein for securing the solenoids to the channels permits the solenoids to be laterally adjusted to correspond to the various piano actions whether the solenoid units are mounted above or below the keyboard or installed under the wipen action of the piano. The assembly described herein may also be used to actuate the piano through the use of the bridle wire generally referred to by the reference numeral 52 in FIG. 4. The solenoid unit is adaptable for use with bridle wires by simply providing a suitable connector 54 on the lower end of the plunger 14 such as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. The connector 54 is operatively connected to the bridle wire 52 by a suitable wire 56. FIG. 4 illustrates the channels 40 in a back-to-back relationship which further points out the versatility of the assembly provided herein.

The metal'to-metal contact between the solenoid l0 and the metallic channel 40 permits the channel to act as a heat sink and as a frame to complete the magnetic path for the coil of the solenoid. The assembly of this invention also provides an adjustable holding fixture which aids in reducing the cost of manufacture. The assembly described herein insures that the solenoid may be easily serviced since the channel 40 is mounted at only one side of the solenoid thereby completely exposing a large portion of the solenoid. Additionally, the solenoid may be easily removed from the channel 40 by simply loosening the screw 38. The solenoid is easily adapted for use with various types of piano actions by simply lengthening or shortening the push rod 16 or by securing a connector 54 to the plunger 14. The assembly is further adapted for use with various types of piano actions by simply positioning the channel members 40 in the proper relationship, two of which are seen in FIGS. 3 and 4.

A modified form of the solenoid is illustrated in FIG. 5 and is generally designated by the reference numeral 60. The only difference between solenoid 60 and the solenoids illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 is that solenoid is provided with a tab 62 extending therefrom which is adapted to be removably received between flanges 64 and 66 which extend outwardly from the upper end of channel means 68. A screw 70 extends through flange 64 and urges tab 62 into engagement with flange 66. Screw 70 could be replaced by a bolt means extending through flange 64, tab 62 and flange 66 if desired. The solenoid 60 is less expensive to manufacture than the solenoids of FIGS. 1-4 and permit the solenoid to be easily adjusted and to be used in the player piano structures illustrated in the drawings.

Thus it can be seen that the assembly accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of our PLAYER PIANO KEY ACTUATING AS- SEMBLY without departing from the real spirit and purpose of our invention, and it is our intention to cover by our claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

We claim:

1. An assembly for actuating piano playing means, comprisa solenoid means including a body portion having opposite ends and an actuator means movably extending from at least one end of said body portion,

said solenoid means having a support member mounted at one end thereof including a tab means extending therefrom,

said tab means extending outwardly of said body portion,

a metallic support having a flange means extending therefrom,

and means securing said tab means to said flange means to limit relative movement between said metallic support and said solenoid means.

2. An assembly for actuating piano playing means, comprisa solenoid means including a body portion having opposite ends and an actuator means movably extending from at least one end of said body portion,

said solenoid means having a support member mounted at one end thereof including a tab means extending therefrom,

a metallic support having a flange means extending therefrom,

and means securing said tab means to said flange means to limit relative movement between said metallic support and said solenoid means,

said tab means having a groove formed therein which is transverse to the direction of movement of said actuator means, said flange means being secured in said groove.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said tab means includes tab portions on opposite sides of said groove, said means securing said tab means to said flange member including a screw element threadably extending through one of said tab portions and engaging said flange means.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein said support is comprised of a channel member having spaced apart flange means extending transversely from a base portion, one of said flange means being received in said groove, the other of said flange means partially embracing the other end of said body portion.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said opposite ends of said body portion are metallic and are in contact with said metal flange means.

6. The assembly of claim 4 wherein a plurality of solenoid means are selectively adjustably mounted on said channel means to permit said solenoid means to be laterally adjusted to a piano action.

7. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said actuator means includesa push rod means movably extending from one end of said body portion and includes a plunger means movably extending from the other end of said body portion, one of said push rod means and said plunger means being operatively connected to the piano action.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein first and second metallic supports are mounted in a back-to-back relationship with the flanges thereof extending in opposite directions.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein first and second metallic supports are mounted in a vertically spaced relationship.

10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said metallic support flange means includes a pair of spaced apart flange members extending therefrom, said tab means being removably received between said flange members. 

1. An assembly for actuating piano playing means, comprising, a solenoid means including a body portion having opposite ends and an actuator means movably extending from at least one end of said body portion, said solenoid means having a support member mounted at one end thereof including a tab means extending therefrom, said tab means extending outwardly of said body portion, a metallic support having a flange means extending therefrom, and means securing said tab means to said flange means to limit relative movement between said metallic support and said solenoid means.
 2. An assembly for actuating piano playing means, comprising, a solenoid means including a body portion having opposite ends and an actuator means movably extending from at least one end of said body portion, said solenoid means having a support member mounted at one end thereof including a tab means extending therefrom, a metallic support having a flange means extending therefrom, and means securing said tab means to said flange means to limit relative movement between said metallic support and said solenoid means, said tab means having a groove formed therein which is transverse to the direction of movement of said actuator means, said flange means being secured in said groove.
 3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said tab means includes tab portions on opposite sides of said groove, said means securing said tab means to said flange member including a screw element threadably extending through one of said tab portions and engaging said flange means.
 4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein said support is comprised of a channel member having spaced apart flange means extending transversely from a base portion, one of said flange means being received in said groove, the other of said flange means partially embracing the oTher end of said body portion.
 5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said opposite ends of said body portion are metallic and are in contact with said metal flange means.
 6. The assembly of claim 4 wherein a plurality of solenoid means are selectively adjustably mounted on said channel means to permit said solenoid means to be laterally adjusted to a piano action.
 7. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said actuator means includes a push rod means movably extending from one end of said body portion and includes a plunger means movably extending from the other end of said body portion, one of said push rod means and said plunger means being operatively connected to the piano action.
 8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein first and second metallic supports are mounted in a back-to-back relationship with the flanges thereof extending in opposite directions.
 9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein first and second metallic supports are mounted in a vertically spaced relationship.
 10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said metallic support flange means includes a pair of spaced apart flange members extending therefrom, said tab means being removably received between said flange members. 